A Course In Miracles Workbook Lessons

Introduction to Workbook Lessons

A theoretical
foundation such as the text is necessary as a background to make these exercises
meaningful. Yet it is the exercises
which will make the goal possible. An
untrained mind can accomplish nothing.
It is the purpose of these exercises to train the mind to think along
the lines which the course sets forth.

The
exercises are very simple. They do
not require more than a few minutes, and it does not matter where or when you do
them. They need no preparation.
They are numbered, running from 1 to 365.
The training period is one year. Do
not undertake more than one exercise a day.

The purpose
of these exercises is to train the mind to a different perception of everything
in the world. The workbook is
divided into two sections, the first dealing with the undoing of what you see
now, and the second with the restoration of sight.
It is recommended that each exercise be repeated several times a day,
preferably in a different place each time, and if possible in every situation in
which you spend any long period of time. The
purpose is to train the mind to generalize the lessons, so that you will
understand that each of them is as applicable to one situation as it is to
another.

Unless
specified to the contrary, the exercise should be practiced with eyes open,
since the aim is to learn how to see. The
only rule that should be followed throughout is to practice the exercises with
great specificity. Each one applies
to every situation in which you find yourself, and to everything you see in it.
Each day's exercises are planned around one central idea, the exercises
themselves consisting of applying that idea to as many specifics as possible.
Be sure that you do not decide that there are some things you see to
which the idea for the day is inapplicable.
The aim of the exercises will always be to increase the application of
the idea to everything. This will
not require effort. Only be sure
that you make no exceptions in applying the idea.

Some of the
ideas you will find hard to believe, and others will seem quite startling.
It does not matter. You are
merely asked to apply them to what you see.
You are not asked to judge them, or even to believe them.
You are asked only to use them.
It is their use which will give them meaning to you, and show you they
are true. Remember only this; you
need not believe them, you need not accept them and you need not welcome them.
Some of them you may actively resist.
None of this will matter, nor decrease their efficacy.
But allow yourself to make no exceptions in applying the ideas the exercises
contain. What ever your reactions
to the ideas may be, use them. Nothing
more than this is required.